Car-step.



wLI. GARRIGAN.

CAR STEP.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28. 1916.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

3N iR\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ ATTORNEY W. 1. GARRIGAN.

CAR STEP. APPLICATION FILED NOV- 28. ISIS.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY WALTER J'. GBRIGAN, OF BRADFORD, PENNSYLVANIA.

can-STEP.

. Speoication of Letters Patent.

Application mea mvember 2s, 191e. serial No. 133,920.

To all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known thatI, WALTER J. GARRIGAN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Bradford, in the county ofMcKean and State of Pennsylvania, have. invented new and usefulImprovements in Car-Steps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car steps and embodies certainimprovementsover the structure disclosed in Patent 1,115,538 issued toH. C. Warner and myself as joint inventors March 31, 1916. 4In the aboveenumerated patent the auxiliary car step is extended for use beyond thelowermost step of the stairway with the opening of the trap door at thehead of the stairway, and folded beneath said lower step with theclosingof said trap door.

In accordance with .the present invention thev trap door in addition tocontrolling the adjustment of the auxiliary step, is capable of beingelevated to an opened position while the tram is in motion withouteffecting an adjustment of the auxiliary step, thus obviating allpossibility of the auxiliary step being damaged by obstructions alongthe track, which would result if the step were extended while the trainwas in motion.

It is also the purpose of this invention to simplify the constructiondisclosed in the above' mentioned patent, and to further increase thestrength and safety of the structure as a unit.

, The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understoodwhen the following description is read in connection with the`accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction,combination and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this specification like numerals ofreference indicate similar parts in the several views and wherein Figure1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a Hight of steps showing theauxiliary step in folded position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in thedirection of the Fig. 3 is a-view similarto Fig. 1 showing Fig. 4 is afragmentary front elevation of the steps showingthe trap elevated.

Referring tothe drawings in detail A in dicates'geneljally a railroadcoach, and B a flight of steps of usual well known construc- PatentedMar. 20, 1917.`

tion, including the side rails or members C.

Hingedly mounted upon the upper edge of' one of the side rails C isatrap door D whlch when folded and arranged in a horizontal pos1t1onprohibits the use of the steps B, and forms a continuation of theplatform y of the car indicated at E. v

An auxiliary step is arranged beneath the lowermost step of the Hight B,the auxiliary step being capable of being foldedl wholly beneath thelowermost step of the flight,y or extended to a position for .use whendefl sired. The auxiliary step embodies a tread 10 -and a riser 11, thelatter being pivotally mounted beneath the lower step of the flight' B,While the adjacent edges of the tread v10 and the riser 11 are alsohingedly connected together. The component parts of the auxiliary stepare further braced and held associated by means o f pivoted linksections 12 at the opposite sides of the step. ',lhe auxiliary step isoperated simultaneously with the opening and closing movements of thetra door D, and in carrying this idea into e ect I preferably make useof a crank shaft`13 journaled between the side rails C of the stepsbeneath the latter, while a pair of spaced parallel arms 14, each havingone end secured to the underside of the tread 10 of the auxiliary step,and its opposite end loosely embracing the crank portion of the shaft13, provides a connection between these parts, whereby the auxiliarystep is 'extended to a position for use upon rotation of the shaft 13 inone direc-` tion, and folded beneath the lowermost step of the flight Bupon rotation of the shaft 13 in an opposite direction. The shaft 13adjacent one extremity is provided with an extension 15 to which one endof a vertically disposed operating rod 16 is pivotally connected, therod projecting through the flight of steps B and having its oppositeextremity offset as at 18, the offset portion being received andretained Within an opening in a pivoted link 20 mounted upon the innerside of the trap door D.

Mounted for sliding adjustment transversely of the trap door isV a rod21, :which asses through a pair of lapertured guide ugs 22, a coilspring 23 encirclingthe rod 21 and positioned between the lugs. Thespring has one end bearing against the adjacent lug, while the oppositeend of the spring Abears against a collar 24 on the rod, the springexerting a pressure to normally maintain the innermost end ofthe rod inengagement with the pivoted link 20. The end of the link 2O adjacent therod 21 is formed with a shoulder 25 adapted to be engaged by a shoulder26 on the rod 21 in Athe normal position of parts,l so that when thetrap door D is adjusted the link and rod 21 move as a/unit with saiddoorto effect an 'adjustment of the auxiliary step.

- However the opposite end of the rod 21 has ybeveled surfaces 29 and 30respectively,

pivotally associated therewith a lever 27, which when the trap door isin kclosed position projects above the door through a slot 28, andthrough the instrumentality of the lever 27 it is manifest that the rod21 can be moved out of engagement with the link 20 to permit the trapdoor D to be elevated without effecting an adjustment of the auxiliarystep. It is obvious that when the rod 21 is free of'the link 20, thelatter merely turns upon the offset extremity of the rod 16 asthe trapdoor is elevated without disturbing the auxiliary step. Again when therod 21 is moved out of engagement with the link 20 "the spring 23 isplaced under tension so that u on release ofthe lever 27 the springexpan s', thereby arranging the innermost end. of the rod 21 in the pathof movemenaof the link 20 when the trap door D isv lowered.' This end ofthe rod 21 and the link 20,are provided with coperating which permit therod 21 to pass beyond the adjacent extremity -of the link 20 during theclosing movement of the door D, to engage beneath the' shoulder of saidlink. In this position of parts the auxiliary step is adjustedsimultaneously with the movement of "the door B.

Depending from the lowermost step of the-Hight B is a curved resilientfinger 31 which engages the auxiliary step when the latter is in foldedposition, and serves to hold the step in this position when the door Dis adjusted independently of the auxiliary Step While it is believedthat from the foregoing description th nature and advantages of theinvention will be readily apparent, I ldesire to have it understood thatwhat is herein shown and described is merely illustrative of thepreferred embodiment of the invention to which I do not limit myself,and that such changes and alterations may be resorted to when desired asfall within the scope of'what is claimed.

1. In a device `of the olas described, a platform,- a Hight of fixedsteps, a hinged trap door, a folding step hinged beneath one of saidfixed steps, mechamsnnconnecting said door and folding step forsimultaneous adjustment, said mechanism Y including. a yieldablysupported rod capable of being .manually disengaged from said mechanism,to permit said door to be elevated independently of the step, and saidrod automatically assuming its normal position with the closing of saiddoor. j

2. In a device of the class described, a platform, a night of fixed stes, a hinged J trap door, a folding step hin beneath one of said fixedste a resilient finger dependin from said xed ystep and engaging the fodin'g step when the latter its in folded position, mechanism connectingsaid oor and folding step for simultaneous adjustment, and saidmechanism includin a yieldably supported rod capable of being manually Iplatform, a fli ht of fixed steps, a hingedtrap door, a' olding. stephinged beneath said fixed steps, a cranks aft journaled beneath saidfixed steps, avertically disposed rod ,having one end pivotallyconnected with the crankshaft, a hnk pivot'ally associated with saiddoor and similarly connected with the opposite end of said rod, amanually controlled yieldably mounted element normally engaging saidlink and holding the latter xed relatively with said door, whereby saidl foldin step is adjusted simultaneously with the adjustment of saiddoor, means for" disengaging the movable element from Asaid link topermit an adjustment of said door independently of said folding step.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a Hight offixed steps, a folding step hinged beneath the fixed ste S, and apivoted trap door, 0f mechanism gir effecting an adjustment of saidhinged step simultaneously with the open'mg and closin of Asaid door,said means including a vertically disposed rod, a link pivotally mountedon said door and connected with said rod, a second yieldably mounted rodcarried by the door for normally engaging the link to provide for theadjustment of the step upon opening of the door, manually operable meansfor disengaging the second mentioned rod from said link whereby'the doormay be opened independently of an adjustment of said step, and saidyieldable means operating to project the second mentioned rod in thepath of said link whereby said yparts will be automatically engaged withthe closing of said door.

5. In a device of thev class described, a

Hight of fixed steps, a hinged trap door, a folding step hinged beneathone of the fixed steps7 mechanism for adjusting said folding step, andincluding a vertically disposed rod having one end ,connected with Saiddoor whereby the step is adjusted simultaneously with the .adjustment ofsaid door, a yieldably mounted element forming part of the connectionbetween said rod and door and capable of being manually released fromthe 10 rod to permit the door to be opened independently of anadjustment of the step, and said rod automatically assuming its normalposition with the closing of said door.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 15

WALTER J. GARRIGAN.

